A variety of computing devices are often accessed together to form a "computer network." The computer network may be a Local Area Network ("LAN") that access devices over a small geographical area, or a Wide Area Network ("WAN") that access devices over a large geographical area. A user with a computer and a telephony device such as a modem may establish a connection to a desired computer network (e.g., the Internet, an intranet, or another computer network) using a Public Switched Telephone Network ("PSTN"). The PSTN is any of those provided by AT&T, GTE, a Regional Bell Operating Company and others comprising multiple switching offices. Access to a desired computer network (e.g., the Internet) is provided by a network access service provider (e.g., America-On-Line, Netcom, etc.), which charge a user a fee to use dedicated access equipment to provide access to the desired computer network.
A user's access request for computer network access via a PSTN originates at a local end switching office, is sent to a central switching office, one or more intermediate switching offices and finally to a remote end switching office where dedicated access equipment for the desired computer network is accessed. The computer network typically has one or more dedicated Remote Access Servers ("RAS") that are connected to the end switching office to provide network access. The one or more dedicated RAS are connected to one or more trunks that provide an interface to the PSTN. The one or more dedicated RAS provide access to one computer network service provider (e.g., America-On-Line ("AOL"), Microsoft Network, Netcom, etc.) in a local service area. A dedicated RAS includes multiple telephony devices such as banks of modems, trunks and other telephony devices that provide connections to the one computer network from a PSTN.
An end office, and then a dedicated RAS receives incoming calls from the PSTN and forwards them to a computer network to provide network access. A dedicated RAS provides computer network access by receiving incoming calls from the PSTN via trunks. A dedicated RAS does not provide any telephonic switching capabilities, since this functionality is provided by the PSTN.
There are a number of problems associated with using a dedicated RAS connected to a PSTN to provide access to the Internet, an intranet and other computer networks. An access request from a user to a computer network passes through multiple switching offices, an end office, a RAS and a login server to provide access to a computer network such as the Internet or an intranet. There may be congestion at any of the multiple switching offices, the end office, the RAS and/or the login server. In addition, network paths between the switching offices, may be out-of-service and require additional routing, which in turn may cause additional congestion.
An end switching office connected to a dedicated RAS must provide enough capacity to handle its normal telephonic load as well as requests for the dedicated RAS. This includes allocating a certain number of resources including switching capacity, dial numbers, ports and trunk capacity in the switching office for the dedicated RAS. This limits the ability of the switching office to allocate additional dial numbers, ports, trunk and switching capacity to users and leaves dial numbers and ports allocated to the dedicated RAS unused or under used during certain periods.
Dial-up numbers used for a dedicated RAS access are assigned local dial-up numbers on a switching office connected to the dedicated RAS. The dial-up numbers for a computer network with a dedicated RAS cannot be recognized as direct intelligent network calls or direct wireless calls in a PSTN. This limits access to a computer network through a local dial-up number and makes it difficult for a mobile or wireless computer user to access a computer network outside of their home area.
In addition, a network access service provider must have one or more dedicated RAS connected to an end office in each local area that they provide network access service. For example, if a network service provider allowed customers in the 312, 414, and 608 area codes to access a computer network, an end office in the 312, 414, and 608 area codes would have one or more dedicated RAS to provide network access for users. This is very expensive for a network service provider, especially if the network service provider operates nationwide or world-wide as one or more dedicated RAS are required for at least one end office in multiple local areas.